Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin, or even Youtube, many social networks have integrated the sales and marketing channels of companies . Platforms of exchange acclaimed by users, they constitute a fertile ground to allow them to share information and their experiences, but also to share their recommendations and opinions on various topics: an opportunity for professionals in terms of digital strategy. Created in 2016, with nearly 15 million USA users in 2022.
for 800 million globally, and an average time of 52 minutes spent on its platform, TikTok is among the most used applications. Focused on the creation of video content, the application adds a principle of personalized soundtrack and interactive challenge to share. It is particularly through the concept of hashtag challenge, allowing brands to interact with their community through participatory creative campaigns, that TikTok has become a commercial channel opportunity. Discover in this article the specificities of this platform and how the features of TikTok can help generate opportunities for the sales strategy of companies.
The concept of participatory video of TikTok
While the application reached nearly 65 million global downloads in March 2020, according to a report by Sensor Tower (link in English), it was in the midst of the pandemic that the social network experienced significant growth in its figures, to approach one billion users.
The reason for its success? Its principle mixing both Snapchat , Byte (formerly Vine ) and Instagram . Based on the creation and sharing of mini-clips lasting from 15 to 60 seconds maximum, the platform allows users to edit, edit and publish their video content, complete with a soundtrack and effects. visuals, without the intervention of additional software and applications.
And if he can view and interact with the publications of other subscribers through classic interactions (comments and likes), the user can respond to them by proposing his own personalized content. It is this functionality that has been particularly acclaimed by certain brands to offer the public original participatory campaigns: challenge around an experience by the Danette company , or promotion of an ethical lifestyle around recycling by the Lipton brand. , are among the examples of successful use of this network.
Video is one of the communication tools favored by companies to promote consumer engagement. Known as video marketing , the use of video for commercial purposes promotes the memorization of information by combining impactful visual and sound content.
This type of content has advantages in terms of its ease of sharing, its potential for virality, but also the possibility of large-scale distribution via different communication channels.
While many video marketing tools exist to help you integrate this format into your campaigns, social media management software can make it easier to manage your videos on this type of platform.
Influencer marketing on TikTik via the Creator Marketplace
Offering a TikTok account for companies (link in English) where visual identity, activity description and website links can appear, as well as statistics related to the audience, the application can be an engagement tool for the promotion of structures of all sizes.
As an integral part of a social media marketing strategy (link in English for Gartner clients), influencer marketing makes it possible to engage a community through the recommendation of influencer accounts present on a platform. Whether it’s product placement, specific promotions, or creating a challenge, influencers have a role to play in helping companies gain visibility and notoriety. By sharing information or content related to a brand, they allow it to relay its message to a committed community, and to create new opportunities with a target of potential consumers.
To facilitate collaboration between potential influencers and companies, the platform has a dedicated tool: the Creator Marketplace . His goal ? Helping to connect brands and content creators, allowing companies to identify influencers corresponding to the target they wish to reach. Businesses also have advanced settings. They can thus access statistics relating to the audience captured by influencers, and define the employee profile corresponding to their needs.
(Search Engine Optimization) are tools that can help you implement your strategy.
Development of multi-channel sales via Tik Tok
A popular sales method in the digital age, multi- channel sales allow companies to offer their products to a wider target via different networks, whether it is their website, a marketplace, or even social networks. . Like Facebook or Instagram, TikTok also offers features that allow companies to optimize their commercial reach with platform users.
Live shopping functionality
It was with Walmart that the application carried out the test phase of a streaming shopping experience . A video format offered live, it allowed users to attend product presentations, while being able to purchase them, without having to leave the platform. While live streaming shopping is already popular in Asia (link available in English for Gartner customers), it is becoming popular in other markets for its benefits of interaction and direct audience conversion.
If features for purchasing tagged products within the application, or the option of creating a shop and a catalog are part of the future options still to come for French companies, certain elements may already and already allow them to use the live function of the application. The latter can thus share promotional information written during the duration of the live, insert links to a specific product via the bio for example of an influencer involved, or even use the replay functionality (available for 90 days) to generate more visibility for their products.
The Shopify integration
It was in October 2020 that TikTok partnered with Shopify , a subscription-based software for creating stores and selling products online. This partnership allows, for example, European companies with a Shopify account to manage their TikTok campaign from their Shopify dashboard. Professional users can thus benefit from several functionalities, such as:
- Marketing campaign creation, allowing companies to produce targeted native videos to share
- The integration of a link to the Shopify store
- Conversion tracking from TikTok to Shopify
- Transmission of secure information to tailor TikTok ads to the target audience, based on conversion rates
New step for companies announced by the platform, that of the integration of a purchase button within advertising videos. Tested by the Levi’s brand , and currently under development, this feature will allow the purchase of products directly from a video.
To support the growth of your online sales, a multi-channel sales strategy allows you to capture new customers from different platforms, including social networks.
Multi -channel e-commerce software can help you manage and optimize your sales and campaigns carried out on different platforms, by having all the information centralized.
Advertising features based on interactive promotion
The application has classic promotional features similar to those that some social media platforms may offer. For example, it presents native advertising options allowing users to be redirected to a site from a link at the bottom of the video, or those of Brand Takeover and Top View, displaying targeted content as soon as the page is opened. publication. However, it is its interactive content promotion options that can allow companies to offer different alternatives.
Feature of the hashtag challenge
From the Haribo brand to Veet , many companies have launched their own hashtag challenge or hashtag challenge campaigns. Particularly popular, they allow brands to create a specific hashtag and engage users in an associated video challenge. Users can thus post their own content using the company’s hashtag in response and thereby disseminate its message. The volume of response generated by the challenge can be a useful indicator of the engagement of the user community, while helping to increase the visibility of the company in an organic way.
Feature of Branded Effects
Another proposed feature is that of “Branded Effects”. In line with Snapchat, or even Instagram, TikTok has integrated a new interactive format for businesses into its offer. Based on the principle of augmented reality, it allows brands to offer users new filters so that they can interact with: facial expressions, postures, combined movements are just as many possibilities allowing professionals to generate interactive and engaging campaigns. .
Marketing strategy advice via TikTok
If TikTok can be an original sales lever to consider and can allow companies to interact in a direct and participatory way with their audience, some important points should be taken into account before launching:
Be in tune with your brand image
Ensure that published content stays aligned with your brand’s editorial line and target consumers. Certain video messages may indeed require more traditional channels for certain consumer targets.
Interact with your audience
Offer content that exploits the interactive potential of the platform: discover behind the scenes of the company, present products in a fun and humorous format, or even propose or participate in challenges to capture the attention of users.
Choose your collaborations based on your audience
If you choose to use influencers , make sure your collaborator’s community matches your target audience. To discover the influencer that matches your brand and develop collaboration around their network, influencer marketing software can help you, in addition to the features offered by the TikTok platform.
Future potential to explore via TikTok for businesses
While TikTok remains a space for companies to address the Gen Z target under 25, it also generates interest from older audiences looking for creative and participatory content. Through its feature projects geared towards online sales, such as its partnership with Shopify, the platform is a future major player in social commerce . TikTok thus paves the way for future possibilities to engage a larger target of consumers through social networks.